Northwest Arctic Borough SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF: Ambler Buckland Candle Deering Kivalina Kiana Kobuk Kotzebue Noatak Noorvik Selawik Shungnak Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly Regular Meeting Minutes - DRAFT Tuesday, April 28, 2015 9:00 A.M. Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly Chambers Kotzebue, AK CALL TO ORDER Interim President Larry Westlake Sr. called the meeting to order at 9:00 A.M. Miles Cleveland provided the invocation. INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE ROLL CALL Members Present: Vern Cleveland Sr. Walter Sampson Frank Greene Carl Weisner Larry Westlake Sr. Clyde Ramoth Pete Schaeffer Miles Cleveland Sr. Nathan Hadley Jr. (telephonic) Excused: Lucy Nelson Hendy Ballot Sr. Clyde Ramoth Winona Hawley Chloe Naylor Introduction of Staff and Guests Reggie Joule Judy Hassinger Matt Mead Annabelle Alvite Christine Hess Kathleen Lansdale Fred Smith Wendie Schaeffer Nina Lie Willie Towksjhea Wayne Hall Martha Henry Marlene Moto-Karl Wendy Chamberlain Ernest Barger Wendy Chamberlain Linda Stotts Alice Swan Stella Atoruk Member Vern Cleveland moved, seconded by Member Miles Cleveland to excuse members. A quorum was established to conduct business. AGENDA ADOPTION Agenda for April 28, 2015 presented for approval. Executive Session added under other business. P.O. Box 1110, Kotzebue, Alaska 99752 (907) 442-2500 Fax (907) 442-3740 www.nwabor.org
Member Schaeffer moved, seconded by Vern Cleveland to adopt the agenda as amended. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The meeting minutes of March 24, 2015 were presented for review and consideration for approval. Member Sampson moved to approve the meeting minutes, seconded by Member Vern Member Greene joined at 9:09 A.M. COMMUNICATIONS & APPEARANCES Ethics Committee & Executive Session added to Other Business. Also added Special Assembly Meeting for Monday May 4, 2015 @ 9:00AM. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS & COMMITTEES Member Schaeffer gave a brief report which will be discussed during executive session. PUBLIC HEARINGS, INACTMENT OF ORDINANCES AND EMERGENCY ORDINANCES None presented. None reported. ASSEMBLY REPORTS MAYOR S REPORT Mayor Joule summarized the written report for Assembly. Also informed Assembly of Tula Lie s resignation and Judy Hassinger will be also resigning in finance as the controller, she agreed to stay on, it s been a year and she will stay on through the fiscal year to the end of June, we will have the time to advertise and seek RFP s, potentially as a full time and possibly an RFP same time in case we need to have a contract with somebody. Wendy Chamberlain gave a brief Legislative report. Christine Hess gave an update on bills filed and passed in the legislature. We did meet with the Governor on one of our recent visits, we did talk about the Ambler Road with him, we did give him the joint resolution on the Ambler Road supporting it and he did say that they were going to move forward with that and lift the administrative order for the Ambler Road. 2 Northwest Arctic Borough Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2015
Member Sampson request Christine to clarify for me, when you say funding for Ambler Road are you talking about Ambler EIS process or the road itself? Also request response on revenue sharing for the City Governance approximately what they are getting this session. Judy Hassinger for the Assembly s information the FY15 Revenue Sharing that we received was down 5% so its anticipated to be 6 to 7 % for FY16, however you do have a line item in your budget for revenue sharing that you provide to all our villages and that number has not changed its still at 402,000 for FY16 as was for FY15. Member Sampson with the new Senate bill 64 that was passed it looks like the matching is going to be changed from 60-70% to 40-50%, what would that require us in a event that Kivalina should move on down the road what would our share be for matching? Member Vern Cleveland on the revenue sharing did that compare with what AML came out with about the same numbers with the reduction or is it deducted? Also requested the numbers for the villages on the Revenue Sharing. Member Sampson just a comment in regard to the Municipal League, the intent of it is good, as members of the Municipal League what we need to start doing hopefully down the road is to put together our wish list in regards to try to get support from Municipal League in regards to our list and ask, see where they stand on some of the issues. TIME AND DATE OF NEXT MEETING Member Sampson from discussion we had yesterday with regards to our meeting date for May, yesterday s discussion occurred 25 th, 26 th there will be some conflicts regard to memorial day, 27 th, 28 th is another conflict with Shell which is important for us to participate in. Member Sampson motion to approve the next meeting date; seconded by Member Vern Cleveland. Motion carried unanimously. Member Ramoth joined at 9:50am, had a bad connection; excused for rest of meeting. Interim President Westlake call for 10 minute break at 9:51; back at 10:03am INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES Ordinance 15-05 an ordinance of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly providing for the establishment and adoption of the line item budget for the Fiscal Year 2016. Member Vern Cleveland motion to approve Ordinance 15-05; seconded by Member Hadley. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote. Judy Hassinger presented Ordinance 15-05. Northwest Arctic Borough Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2015 3
Member Vern Cleveland requested information on the Inupiaq Language Commission. Also requested information on the Legal Consultant. Interim President Westlake also raised concern regarding legal budget and actions. Member Vern Cleveland raised concern regarding the Per Diem rates. Member Weisner points out that $150,000 was specifically designed for the Ambulance, which is a regional use ambulance and that is exactly what it was for. Member Vern Cleveland raised concern regarding the Noatak Airport lease; also concerns of safety with the tourism. Member Weisner thanked administration for their work. Interim President Westlake suggest always think local hire for our people to work, we talked about this issue before and in some way we should know what s coming into our area, jobs are going to be available this summer and that way we can get resume s for our local people and start getting them to work. Member Sampson has there been some discussions with Park Service in trying to get a feel in regards to what they are thinking on future cruise ships coming into this region? Member Vern Cleveland on the winter trails, I staked the shortcut trail and also pulled out the stakes cause those stakes are expensive and I thought it would be easy pulling them out, they were under the ice about 4 inches when it melted I had to chop them out trying to save the plastics, those plastic stakes are all orange, about 4 foot and so are those sticks and by the time I was done my sled was a full load, I didn t know I put out that many stakes, that s a lot of work, they said it s an easement but we ve got to look at it in a different way cause it s all ice, hardly any land. Also mentioned I don t see anything on Rural Cap, I m a rep for Rural Cap and I don t see anything budgeted is there something that or is it just a name in there? Ordinance 15-06 an ordinance of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly amending Title 3 of the Borough Code and for related purposes. Member Weisner motion to approve Ordinance 15-06; seconded by Member Vern Matt Mead presented Ordinance 15-06. RESOLUTIONS 1. Resolution 15-17 a resolution of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly to accept annual state ARDOR Grant Funding of $70,372.72 for the Northwest Arctic Borough ARDOR and Economic Development Commission Administration. 4 Northwest Arctic Borough Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2015
Member Weisner motion to approve Resolution 15-17, seconded by Member Miles Kathleen Lansdale presented Resolution 15-17. 2. Resolution 15-18 a resolution to approve a professional services agreement with Tok Welding and Fabrication for Waste Burn Units, and for related purposes. Member Vern Cleveland motion to approve Resolution 15-18; seconded by Member Hadley. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote. Wendie Schaeffer presented Resolution 15-18. Member Sampson requested the total cost. Member Miles Cleveland requested information on where the burn units are going. 3. Resolution 15-19 a resolution to approve a professional services agreement with ANTHC to perform water and sewer improvement services, and for related purposes. Member Schaeffer motion to approve Resolution 15-19; seconded by Member Vern Wendie Schaeffer presented Resolution 15-19. 4. Resolution 15-20 a resolution of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly adding Kathleen Lansdale as an authorized signatory for Borough checks. Member Weisner motion to approve Resolution 15-20; seconded by Member Miles OTHER BUSINESS Member Vern Cleveland motion to go into executive session; seconded by Member Hadley. Out of executive session at 11:27 Mayor Joule refers to code and request to hold Special Meeting May 4, 2015. Member Miles Cleveland motion to hold a special meeting on May 4, 2015; seconded by Member Weisner. Member Weisner suggest to include tobacco tax on May 4, 2015 meeting. Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote. Northwest Arctic Borough Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2015 5
MAYOR S COMMENTS Mayor Joule encourages people to let people know where you re going and be safe and also good luck to you when you re out fishing or harvesting for your family in any form, from the bounty of the country that we are fortunate to live in, and I want to thank the staff and the people that we had in all of our departments, from finance to public services to planning, economic development, the people here continue to work hard and it makes things a lot easier. I would like to extend that thank you to the staff. The first day to file for candidacy for office is June 8. AUDIENCE COMMENTS Willie Towksjhea raised concern regarding the school bus in Kivalina. Also raised concern for Lucy Adams house, cannot get IRA to build her a house because it is still under her husband s name, she has no water and sewer, and she has three grand kids living with her. Gave Lucy s address to Mayor Joule. Marlene Moto-Karl request information on mining permits and local hire, concerned about the health and safety, mining is a part of flooding and erosion. Also raised concern regarding wind generation. Linda Stotts thanked Mayor and Assembly in support of the efforts to provide assistance to the villages for solid waste management and improvement programs, would like to thank on behalf of Kiana, heard you mention our village for the burn units and other items hopefully, that will improve our village landfill operations. Ernest Barger of Buckland request information on nominating procedures and length of time on Assembly seats; Also request more information on grants that are available. ASSEMBLY COMMENTS Member Vern Cleveland thank you for a good meeting, thank you Mayor and Staff for your work. Spring has sprung, be safe, make sure you call someone before you go anywhere, let someone know how long you re going to be out and have a safe travel home. Member Miles Cleveland sends condolences to Tony Jones family at Selawik and we have a contractor in Ambler that s starting up and it s kind of a slow start up but still they are not really hiring locally the residents of Ambler, Ridge Contractors and someone needs to look into that and talk to them or something, their offices are at Anchorage, theres a lot of folks that live there that are not hired and everybody knows that the locals need the jobs to pay for utilities, fuel and other stuff. Walter Sampson good meeting, couple things I would like to encourage the Borough to participate in what is happening today before we get to a dilemma of enforcement of where our people will be cited for certain things, we need to make sure that we encourage the state of Alaska in regards to going to the villages for educational purposes to make 6 Northwest Arctic Borough Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2015
sure that the residents get the message in regards to what they can take as far as caribou because of the fact of the continued decline of the caribou herd, there had been some changes on regulations regards to take and I m sure over time there is going to be enforcement that will occur and we know that once enforcement starts to occur, you get targeted to do that, there will be enforcements on registration for boats, enforcements on licensing and enforcement of take of caribou and it s critical that our people get the message that our people understand what the law say, I also want to encourage the Borough to make sure that we get with Park Service and communicate with those folks in regards to some of the intents of tourism. Member Weisner thanked chairman for leadership, thanked public services department, specifically Lena Ferguson for allowing me to check out a SPOT device I used when I was traveling alone with snow machine to Kobuk, I appreciate that tool and hope that others take advantage of them, they are cost free, provides them information that comes down to potentially saving your own life or somebody else s. Thank you. Interim President Westlake I apologize for my mistakes and I thank you audience for being here and the assembly. Thank you very much. ADJOURNMENT Member Westlake moved to adjourn; seconded by Member Miles Cleveland with no other business to conduct, the meeting adjourned at 12:10 P.M. Northwest Arctic Borough Regular Meeting Minutes April 28, 2015 7